Physician&#39;s examining table or the like



March 23, 1943. e. E. FROELICH' PHYSICIANS EXI KMINING TA BLE OR THELIKE Filed Aug. 20, 1941 fizz/an er" Geo/:96 EEoeZicA Patented Mar. 23,1943 PHYSIOIANS EXAMINING TABLE OR THE LIKE,

George E. Froelich, Two Rivers, Wis., assignor to Hamilton ManufacturingCompany,

Two

Rivers, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application August 20, 1941,Serial No. 407,555

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in physicians examining tables orthe like and aims to provide a simplified structure which may beproduced with a minimum number of parts and at a reduced cost ofmanufacture.

The invention will be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which- Figure 1 is an elevational view of a table embodyingthe present invention, partially shown in section for clearness ofdescription;

Figure 2 is a partial perspective view of the structure of Figure 1 inan alternative position;

Figure 3 is another partial perspective view of parts shown in Figure 1somewhat enlarged;

Referring in detail to the illustrative construction shown in thedrawing, the numeral l indicates as a whole a form of examining tablewith which the present invention is here shown associated. The table hasa foot H and a base part l2, which is advantageously of the cabinettype, having a number of compartments, two such being indicatedsuggestively at [3 and I4, which may be used for purposes of storage ofinstruments, utensils, or other physicians equipment. The compartment l3may have drawers therein for this use, not here shown, and thecompartment l4 may have a' door [5 at the head of the table openable bymeans of a handle l6.

Supported on the base [2 are rest members H and I3, having'the usualpadded surfaces for contacting the human body when a person is reclinedthereon, for examination or treatment, as the case may be. The restmember l8 has advantageously an integral head rest portion l9. In thisinstance, the rest member I1 is fixed to the table top or base [2 andthe rest member l8 from the base.

In accordance with the present invention, the rest member I8 is held inselectively adjusted position with respect to the base by means of asingle, centrally located lifter rod 2!. The rod may b articulated withthe rest member l8 as by being pivoted at its upper end at 2la, on thebracket 22 secured to the under side of the rest member, the rod beingthus arranged to move in a vertical plane extending mediallylongitudinally of the base and rest member, the lower end of the radiibeing freely received within the base for such movement.

To hold the rod from vertical movement when desired and consequently toretain the rest member 18 temporarily in adjusted position, the rodintermediate portion passes through a frictional gripping member 23,which may be fixedly caris hinged thereto as at 29 to move toward and aried by a shaft 24 suitably mounted for partial rotation in the sidewalls of the base 12 and terminating in the handles 25 at each side ofthe table. It will be understood that the lifter rod passes looselythrough a hole in the member 23, which may be in the form of a castinghaving an ear 26 to which is attached one end of an extension coilspring 21 anchored as at 28 within the compartment [4. The spring 21tends to pull the casting 23 downwardly so that th rod 2| is somewhatjammed therein and is thus held from downward movement until the casting23 is rotated to be normal to the rod, at which time the rod will movefreely therethrough. This may be done by manual operation of either oneof the handles 25 to actuate the casting 23 as described against thepull of the spring 21. It will be understood that to move the restmember I8 upwardly it is not necessary to operate the handle since thefrictional drag of the rod will actuate the casting 23.

Sinc the rest member is thus supported by a single rod, it is importantthat lateral canting of the rod be prevented, and to this end theinvention contemplates that the intermediate portion of the lifter rodbe supported against lateral movement by means arranged at a pluralityof relatively far apart vertically spaced points in the table base. Forthis purpose the upper surface 29 of the base, having an opening 30therein through which the rod passes, carries a guide plate 3| having alaterally restricted slot 32 therein for slidably but snugly passing therod therethrough; The slot 32 is elongated longitudinally of the tablefor accommodating the angular positions of the rod, which is thus inefiect articulated both to the rest member andto the base;

Again, following this invention, at another place in the bas the rod isfurther supported laterally. In this instance the lower end of the rodis guarded by a box-like structure having side walls 33 and 34 and theend wall 35. The side walls 33 and 34 may be secured as exemplified at33 to the partition 31 which separates the compartments l3 and M and theend wall 35 may be secured as exemplified at 38 to the top surface 39 ofthe table foot ll. Thus, there is provided a chamber 40 which receivesthe lower end of the rod and guards against interference with the rod byutensils or other articles stored in the compartment I4. Disposed in theupper otherwise open end of the chamber 40 are guiding means for the rod2| here shown as a pair of channel members 4! having depending spacedapart flanges 42 between which the rod 2i slidingly passes, the channelmembers thus defining a longitudinally elongated but laterallyrestricted slot 43 for the lifter rod similar to and desirablysupplementing the function of the slotted plate 3! previously described.

The channel members 4| may be secured by their outer flanges to the sidewalls 33 and 34 of the chamber '46 as exemplified at 44 and may besecured together at their ends as by riveted cross pieces 45, the latterserving also to close the ends of the slot at. In one form of theapplication of this invention, the spring 27 may be secured as shown toone of the channel member 4 l.

A stop pin 46 on the lower extremity of the rod .form of a somewhatheavy wire loop having its otherwise free ends 43 clamped by a clamping,plate 49 secured as at 56 to the upper surface 29 of the base I2. Theclamping plate 49 may have inverted troughed margins which are ofinternal diameter suitable to tightly receive the spring ends 48 andclamp them against the table top 29. It will be understood that theunder face of the rest member I8 is upwardly recessed as at 52 so as toafford room for the coils 53 of the spring 47 when the rest member isparallel to the table top 29, at which time the spring ends 43 and bight54 of the spring are in substantially the same plane horizontal with thebase top 29 and within the recess 52.

The bight 54 of the spring loop is desirably of right angular formationand slidably presses against the rest member is through theintermediation of a rider plate 55 secured as at 56 to the under surface18a of the rest member l8, which rider plate by reducing friction bothminimizes wear and enhances the effectiveness of the camming action ofthe spring.

Thus, the spring 41 tends to separate the rest member and base, makingit relatively easy to raise the rest member even when a patient isreclining thereon, with a minimum and economy of .parts andconstructionior this purpose, this being further contributed to by thesingle lifter rod, the

use of which is madepossible by the combination of expedients heredisclosed.

It is not intended that the invention should be understood to be limitedto details of construction here shown and described in connection withthe example here given. Furthermore, it is not intended that it besupposed that all features of the invention here disclosed must be usedconjointly,

as it is intended to be understood that under cer- =tain circumstancesvarious combinations or subcombinations may be advantageously employed.

What is claimed is: 1. In a physicians examining table or the likehaving a cabinet base and a padded rest member hinged thereto to movetoward and from the base, that improvement therein which comprises asingle centrally located lifter rod having its upper endarticulated'with the rest :member and having its lower end freelyreceived in the base, means operatively associated with the base andtherlifter -r0d forfrictionally gripping an intermediate pcr- ,75

tion of the rod to retain the rest member in selectively adjustedpositions with respect to the base and a restricted chamber having wallswithin and distinct from the walls of the base receiving the lower endof the lifter rod, said chamber having a longitudinally elongatedlaterally restricted slot in its upper wall passing an intermediateportion of the rod snugly but slidably therethrough.

2. In a physicians examining table or the like embodying a cabinet basehaving a flat top and a padded rest member hinged thereto to move in avertical plane toward and from the base, that improvement therein whichcomprises a compression torsion spring disposed between the rest memberand base top adjacent the place where the rest member is hinged to thebase and tending to separate the rest member and base, wherein thetorsion spring is of loop formation having a pair of ends, the restmember having a recess in its under face, a clamping plate securing thesaid ends to the base and a rider plate secured .to the under face ofthe ,rest member within the recess in the vicinity of the bight of theloop'and against which the latter slidably presses during movement ofthe rest member, said spring ends and the bight of the loop being insubstantially the same plane horizontally with the basetopand within therecess when the rest member is moved to horizontal position parallelwith the base top whereby said spring is concealed within the recess, asingle centrally located lifter rod articulated at its upper end withthe rest member and having itslower free end received within the base,and releasable means for frictionally gripping the lifter rod to retainthe rest member in selected positions in said plane.

3. In a physicians examining table or the like embodying a cabinet basehaving a flat top and a rest member hinged thereto to move in a verticalplane toward and from the base, that im- .provement therein whichcomprises a compression spring disposed between the rest memberand basetop adjacent the place where the rest member is hinged to the base andtending to separate the rest member and base, the rest member having arecess in its under face, said spring being received within the recesswhen the rest member is moved to horizontal position parallel with thebase top whereby saidlspring is concealed in said last mentionedposition, and manually releasable means for retaining the rest member inselected positions in said plane.

4. In a physicians examining tableor the like having a base and a restmember hinged there to -to move toward and from the base, thatimprovement therein which comprises a single centrally located lifterrod movable in a vertical plane extending medially longitudinally of thebase, said rod being articulated at its upper end with the rest memberand having its lower free end received in the base, lateral supportingmeans carried by the base passing an intermediate portion of the lifterrod therethrough, saidmeans having a laterally restricted slot thereinthrough which the rod passes and said slot being elongatedlongitudinally of the base for accommodating difierent angular positionsof the rod with respect to the base, said slotted means having a pair ofvertical walls extending in the direction of said plane and laterallyspaced apart for slidably but snugly passing the rod therethroughwhereby to guard against lateral canting of the rod, .means carried bythe base for adjustably gripping 101' releasing the .rod for saidmovement, and a compression spring between the base and rest memberurging the rest member upwardly.

5. In a physicians examining table or the like having a base and a restmember hinged thereto to move toward and from the base, that improvementtherein which comprises a single centrally located lifter rod movable ina vertical plane extending medially longitudinally of the base, said rodbeing articulated at its upper end with the rest member and having itslower free end re ceived in the base, lateral supporting means carriedby the base passing an intermediate portion of the lifter rodtherethrough, said means having a laterally restricted slot thereinthrough which the rod passes and saidslot being elongated longitudinallyof the base for accommodating different angular positions of the rodwith respect to the base, said slotted means having a pair of verticalWalls extending in the direction of said plane and laterally spacedapart for slidably but snugly passing the rod therethrough whereby toguard against lateral canting of the rod, and means carried by the basefor adjustably gripping or releasing the rod for said movement.

6. In a physicians examining table or the like having a base and a restmember hinged thereto to move toward and from the base, that improvementtherein which comprises a single centrally located lifter rod movable ina vertical plane extending medially longitudinally of the base, said rodbeing articulated at its upper end with the rest member and having alower free end received in the base, lateral supporting means carried bythe base passing the intermediate portion of the lifter rodtherethrough, said means having a laterally restricted slot thereinthrough which the rod passes and said slot being elongatedlongitudinally of the base for accommodating different angular positionsof the rod with respect to the base, said slotted means having a pair ofvertically spaced apart wall portions extending in the direction of saidplane and laterally spaced apart for slidably but snugly passing the rodtherethrough whereby to guard against lateral canting of the rod, andmeans carried by the base for adjustably gripping or releasing the rodfor said movement.

GEORGE E. FROELICH.

